MAYFAIR Hotels & Resorts: Where Heritage, Luxury and Meaningful Travel Meet
Travel has quietly changed its purpose. It is no longer just about ticking destinations off a list it is about how a place makes you feel the moment you arrive. Today’s traveller isn’t searching for the most Instagrammable spot; they’re searching for somewhere that slows their breathing down. A view that feels like a pause button. A plate of food that tastes like someone actually cared. A silence that isn’t empty, but full.
This shift from checklist tourism to emotional travel is reshaping the vacation economy. People no longer ask “what can I see here?” as much as they ask “what will I feel here?” They want heritage they can touch, stories they can walk through, and food that lingers in memory long after the trip ends. It’s this exact emotional pull that has quietly kept properties like MAYFAIR Hotels & Resorts relevant for over four decades not because they built the biggest hotels, but because they built ones that felt like something.
We sat down with MAYFAIR Hotels & Resorts to talk heritage, hospitality, and what it really takes to make a guest feel at home.
MAYFAIR has been in Indian hospitality since 1982. How would you describe the brand’s journey over these four decades?
MAYFAIR Hotels & Resorts has grown into one of India’s leading luxury hospitality brands, renowned for our collection of heritage hotels, luxury resorts, boutique retreats, and business hotels. We’re guided by one simple philosophy: “Stay with Us, Stay with Nature.” It shapes everything we build: destinations that celebrate India’s cultural heritage, architectural legacy, and natural beauty, while still delivering personalised luxury.
Over the past four decades, we’ve expanded across multiple states, and every single property reflects the unique character and history of its destination. Our journey has really been defined by three things: restoring heritage landmarks, expanding into emerging leisure destinations, and being recognised for excellence in hospitality, wellness, cuisine, and guest experience.
What does luxury mean to MAYFAIR? How is it different from how the industry usually defines it?
“Luxury is at its most meaningful when it respects the heritage of a destination, celebrates its people, and preserves its natural beauty for generations to come,” says Pooja Ray, Managing Director, MAYFAIR Hotels & Resorts. “For over four decades, Mayfair has remained committed to creating experiences that go beyond hospitality—telling the story of a place while offering our guests warmth, genuine connection, and timeless elegance.”
“Every MAYFAIR destination reflects our philosophy of thoughtful preservation and responsible growth. We believe true luxury lies not only in exceptional comfort and personalised service, but also in protecting the cultural and environmental legacy that makes each destination unique.”
Sustainability is a big buzzword in hospitality right now. How does MAYFAIR actually put it into practice?
For us, sustainability sits at the heart of what we call responsible luxury. Across our portfolio, we focus on energy efficiency, water conservation, responsible waste management, and resource optimisation, while actively working to minimise our environmental impact.
But it goes beyond our properties. We partner with regional artisans, source local produce wherever possible, promote indigenous culture, and create meaningful employment opportunities within the communities we operate in. And heritage conservation is really the cornerstone of it. All several of our landmark properties have been carefully restored to preserve their architectural and cultural significance, while still integrating the comforts today’s traveller expects.
Tell us the story behind MAYFAIR Hill Resort, Darjeeling. What makes this property so special?
It’s perched nearly 7,000 feet above sea level, right in the heart of the Queen of the Hills, opposite the historic Governor’s House so the setting alone does a lot of the talking. But the story really goes back to 1875, when the original residence, Nazargunj House, was built as the summer home of the royal family of Nazargunj.
We acquired the estate in 1997, and instead of rebuilding, we chose to restore it meticulously preserving its colonial character while transforming it into one of India’s most celebrated heritage hospitality destinations. Today, it blends colonial architecture, royal heritage, and contemporary luxury against the backdrop of the Eastern Himalayas.
There’s a personal story behind this property too, isn’t there?
Yes — and it’s one we’re quite proud of. Shri Dilip Ray, our Founder and Chairman, was once a college student in Darjeeling who used to dream of owning that historic bungalow across from the Governor’s House. Years later, that dream became reality. And when it did, instead of replacing the residence, he made the choice to carefully restore it ensuring its timeless charm and architectural legacy would endure for generations rather than be lost to a renovation.
What can guests actually expect when they stay there?
The resort has 53 heritage-inspired rooms and suites, the Magnolia Restaurant, Douglas Lounge Bar, MAYFAIR Spa, a charming library, and landscaped gardens. Beyond the property, guests can go on tea estate visits, heritage walks, monastery tours, and even ride the UNESCO-listed Darjeeling Himalayan Railway. Every antique, every fireplace, every restored architectural detail carries nearly 150 years of history so a stay here isn’t just a hotel visit, it’s a celebration of heritage and refined Himalayan hospitality.
Beyond hospitality, MAYFAIR has also been part of larger conversations around India’s tourism growth. Can you tell us more?
Absolutely. Recently, Pooja Ray, alongside Member of Parliament Dilip Ray, met with Defence Minister Shri Rajnath Singh in New Delhi to discuss India’s long-term growth roadmap and the role hospitality and tourism can play in driving national economic momentum. We also spoke about MAYFAIR’s own expansion plans. We see ourselves not just as a hospitality brand, but as a genuine stakeholder in India’s tourism infrastructure story.
Talking to MAYFAIR, one thing becomes clear in an age where travellers are chasing feelings over ticking off checklists, MAYFAIR isn’t just building hotels, it’s preserving the emotional core of a destination. A restored fireplace, a 150-year-old bungalow, a view over the Eastern Himalayas all add up to exactly what today’s traveller is searching for: a place that touches something a little deeper than an itinerary ever could.
